Waterfalls and fountains have been in existence for centuries in countless different variations and forms. The enduring popularity of both waterfalls and fountains can be attributed to their numerous aesthetic and practical applications, making them desirable for artistic, recreational and commercial uses.
Few applications derive more benefit from waterfalls and fountains than do recreational swimming pools. When used in swimming pools, waterfalls and fountains have a great aesthetic value, make pleasant sounds, add oxygen to the pool water, mix chemicals in the water and regulate the temperature of the water.
In the swimming pool field, devices have been proposed which operate in a waterfall mode (see, for instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,280) or in a fountain mode (see, for instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,318,528; 3,831,852; 4,174,808; and 4,936,506). However, none of these devices is adapted to operate in both a waterfall mode and a fountain mode.